Best Telstra mobile plans: which Offer is right for you?

Summary

Our Verdict

Telstra Mobile

With decades of experience and the best mobile network in the country, Telstra's current plans represent superb value.

Overall 90%

Plans

Extras

Value

If you’re looking for a mobile service that gives you the best coverage, speed and reliability, there’s really only ever been one answer – giant Telstra Mobile. We’ll admit, it’s not always the cheapest option. But their extensive network had a head start when the digital mobile era began (thanks to Telstra having built the entirety of Australia’s mobile network up to that point). Plus, they’ve continued to expand and enhance their coverage in the many years since.

It’s not just about coverage. Though Telstra covers almost all populated areas of Australia, so do rivals Optus and Vodafone these days. The real key to the popularity of the Telstra network is the depth of coverage. Incredibly responsive to issues such as “blackspots” and busy areas, Telstra provides coverage that works no matter where you are. No mobile network can be immune to problems. But issues such as call drop-outs, unresponsive web sites or missed calls are incredibly rare with the Telstra network. People who value reliability and coverage above all else are happy to pay a bit extra to get it.

These days, mobile is an incredibly competitive market in Australia. And while Telstra has long had the reputation of being an expensive mobile provider, that’s far from the truth. We’re especially referring to with some of the more recent Telstra mobile deals available. Alongside the basic mobile service, there’s also an array of free perks that come with most plans. And in our opinion, they’re valuable extras.

Get a GigaBonus from Telstra!

Enjoy Telstra’s huge data offering + bonus of up to 100GB on top of your data inclusions — only from the nation’s largest mobile network. BYO plans start from $49/mth or get a new phone from $59/mth.

The plans

The days of being told “it’s expensive because it’s the best” are over when it comes to Telstra’s current offerings across both SIM-only and phone plans. While the Telstra mobile network has continued to improve over the past few years, prices have come down. Right to the point where there’s real value to be had compared to the competition.

Let’s take a look at Telstra’s SIM-only 30GB plan, for example. It already comes with unlimited national calls and texts compared to the previous $500 worth of calls included in the older, lower-tier plan. While $500 worth of calls seems good enough, nothing beats limitless. That’s why unlimited texting and calling are now available across all BYO plans. With unlimited talk and text on all SIM-only plans, gone are the days when you have to stress over going your allowance. And that’s just one factor that’s made Telstra’s mobile lineup highly accessible more than ever. There’s also the matter of data allowance, for which every mobile customer will find appealing with the generous amount the telco is giving out as bonuses.

So with all that in mind, what are the best Telstra mobile plans? Well, let’s start with the SIM-only category, where our vote would go to the mid-tier 60GB plan. It’s on a 12-month contract and comes with unlimited national calls/texts and a hefty 30GB included data + 30GB bonus. All for only $59 per month with the price including a $10 monthly credit. If you need to make international calls often, then the more reason to love this plan — it also comes with unlimited international talk and text to 15 countries.

If you don’t want to go on a contract, Telstra offers a range of prepaid plans. The lowest plan would be the $10 prepaid but that comes with a 7-day expiry. Unless that’s something you specifically need, the best value among prepaid plans would be the $40 prepaid plan. It includes 20GB included data + 15GB bonus, unlimited national and international (20 countries) calls and texts, as well as a $10 discount if you purchase online. You even get a $10 extra credit. All these for only $30 with a 35-day expiry.

If you’re in the market for a new phone, on the other hand, and are after Telstra mobile deals that will save you some money, there’s a huge range of plans on offer. It’s hard to give a raw dollar figure on them specifically, as what you’ll pay entirely depends on which phone you choose. The “L” plan is a winner here with some of the most desirable phone on the market. For example, an iPhone 8 on the “L” plan is priced at $109 per month. That includes the phone repayments over 24 months. You get unlimited calls, texts and MMS within Australia as well as unlimited calls and texts to 15 major international destinations, along with 50GB of data per month (20GB bonus). Now that’s a mobile plan packed with massive value. If you’re in need of a new, better phone, this is it.

Telstra Mobile 2019 Promotions

If you’re a new customer, take advantage of Telstra’s latest mobile offer: Get the $69 BYO plan with a $20 monthly credit if you sign up before 29 March 2019. That’s down to only $49/month on a 12-month contract for a plan that includes 60GB total data, as well as unlimited national and international (15 countries) talk and text.

But wait, there’s more!

There’s one other advantage to having a Telstra mobile service – and this applies to Telstra SIM only plans as well as contract and selected prepaid plans. While they rarely advertise it, you get a bunch of very valuable extras by default with your Telstra service.

For starters, there’s data-allowance-free streaming of Apple Music on all plans. That’s right, you can stream music all day and not have any of it count against your data allowance. And to sweeten that deal, every plan on a contract gets six months of Apple Music subscription included free. It’s worth noting that your Apple Music subscription gets linked to your Telstra account. Once your free time runs out, your monthly subscription is added to your phone bill rather than being charged by Apple directly. If you don’t want it after the free six months, you can cancel without penalty.

Sport fans, meanwhile, will love the totally free access to both the AFL and NRL Live apps on iOS and Android – something footy and rugby fans on other networks have to pay monthly for. You get comprehensive live streaming of every game, videos on demand, interviews, stats, and much more for the agreeable sum of zero dollars. Those on Telstra prepaid plans get access as well. More sports have since been added, which makes Telstra’s mobile plans even more valuable with AFLW, Netball, and the Hyundai A-League as the latest additions. Not to mention the free WiFi data Telstra subscribers can access at more than 1 million Telstra Air hotspots across the country. When it comes to the “bonuses without a catch” department, Telstra is the clear winner.

Is Telstra worth it?

With the best mobile coverage in Australia, the latest mobile data tech for fast speeds on a blazingly fast data network, and a bunch of extra perks that just sweeten the deal, there’s never been a better time to get a Telstra mobile plan. Getting a new phone on a plan with Telstra does have some advantages – including the ability to swap out to a brand new phone every year for a modest fee. But even for those who just want a SIM for the handset they have now, Telstra has really upped the stakes in terms of value.